Escape routes!

by Jan Vose

4 March 2009

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5:16, NIV

In the south west of England, where I grew up, there are lots of hills and some are very steep with sharp bends! It’s not difficult when driving down winding hills, with steep inclines like this, to go too fast and to get out of control. At certain places going down these very steep hills there are what’s called ‘escape routes’. They are areas where, if you are going out of control, you can steer into an escape route filled with sand and your car will come to a stop. Otherwise your car might go completely out of control down the main road and end in disaster.

Our attitude to sin can sometimes be like this. There are many opportunities to ‘escape’ from its snare. Even when we have started down its path we can choose to flee from it, to take the escape route and make right choices. The problem comes when we treat sin like ‘strawberries and cream’, something nice to indulge in, rather than the rattle-snake it really is.

How good it is to know that Jesus is there to help us, to teach us, and to bring conviction of sin, so that we don’t have to run out of control. And how good it is to know that if we do run out of control with sin, there’s still a way back, because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, please help me to recognise the sin areas in my life by the power of Your Holy Spirit so that I can escape from its snare and choose to walk in righteousness. Amen.

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